Current and propulsion wheel.



` PATENTED EEO. 22, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I. L. ROBERTS.

CURRENT AND EEOPULSION WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1897.

I0 MODEL.

WITNESSES:

PATBNTBD DEC. 22, 1 903.

1. L. ROBERTS. CURRENT AND PRoPULsIoN WRRRL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1897.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' No MODEL.

Za ATTORNEY No. 747,775. PATENTED' DEG. z2, 1903.

I. L.'EOEEETS. CURRENT AND PEOPULSION WHEEL.

. y APPLIOATION FILED JULY 27. 1897. H0 MODEL. 3 SlkBETS-SHEET 3.

me Noam PETERS co, PNoTuTHo.. wAsnlNnTou. n, c.

. v mvENToE @www ATTORNEY tion of a paddle.

UNITED STATES Patented December 22, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

IsAIAH L. ROBERTS, oF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AssIeNoR OF ONE-THIRD To EDWARD N. DIcKERsON, oF NEW YORK, N. Y..

CURRENT AND PROPULSION WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,775, dated December 22, 1903.

Application filed July 27, 1897. Serial No. 646.079. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-- Be it known that LISAIAH L. RoBER'Is,of

Brooklyn,county of Kings,State of New York,

much increased, and the difficulty of ice form- A ing on the wheel is overcome.

In the drawings I have illustrated a construction embodying my invention, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the wheel, the shafts, and supports. Fig. 2 is a section along lines 2 2 of Fig. 1, certain parts being shown in full. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a paddle. Fig. 4 is a transverse see- Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section along lines 5 5 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 illustrates the method of staggering the paddles.

Like numerals of reference referf to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. l z Referring to said drawings in detail, 1'1 represents the supports or piersfor the journals of the wheel-shaft. On each of these piers isahydraulic cylinder 2, in which works a ram 3, provided at its upper end with the journal-piece 4, having a bushing 5, in which is jourualed a hollow shaft 6, on which are mounted the paddles. The shaft 6 is shown as made in sections to ad'apt it to spanV a stream of considerable width.

A series of paddles 8 arel mounted on spokes 9, said spokes being made hollow and commu-` nicating through an opening 10 with the interior of the hollow shaft. Any suitable form of connection may be availed of for'securing the paddles to the shaft, and in the drawings I have shown the spokes as provided with anges 11 for bolting the same to the hollow shaft, a packing-ring` 12 being shownfor the purpose of obtaining a duid-tight connection.

The paddles 8 S are preferably made of sheet metal of sufficient'strength to withstand the impact of the current., and each of said paddles consists of a compartment the operative face of which, 13, is composed of two concave-surfaces, each surface being' substantially a quarter-section'of a cylinder. These two surfaces meet and project forward at the middle portion of the paddle, which impinges against or receives the impact of the water accordinglyas the wheel may be used as a drivenl vbe deflected or diverted ninety degrees from the direction of impact, thus obtaining the greatest possible efficiency. Any departure from a curve which will not describe a true circle and a curve greater than a quartercurve prevents the obtaining of the maximum eflciency. In the case of the ordinary bucket, scoop, or at surface in paddles the current striking it backs upon the surface and forms a cone the angle of which is about forty-tive degrees. This cone of water is practically a solid to passing water, around which the water passes as though the surface was a polished metal cone havingits apex pointed to the direction of impact. Hence only half as much energy is obtained when compared to' my arrangement. The iuclosed receptacle constituting the paddle is in communication with the spokes 9 through perforatious 14, and hot air is circulated through the hollow shaft andl spokes to each of the paddles mounted on said shaft, passing out through' escape-pipes 15, which are secured to the spokes by a collar 16, and discharge into a hood 17, which prevents the dripping of water into the tubes 15, the source of hot-air supply or steam or other heating medium being, as shown in the drawings, by means of a tube 18.

The hydraulic rams constitute a means for raising or lowering the shaft corresponding, as the same may be desired to adapt the IOO wheel for different heights of the stream and also for the purpose of regulating the speed of the wheel according to the amount of the load on the wheel. These hydraulic rams may be automatically connected with a governing device, so that an increase of speed in the wheel will cause an admission of water to the hydraulic cylinder to raise the wheel, and thus decrease the speed. I have discovered that by making the operative face of my paddles of the two concave surfaces described and placing those concave surfaces at an angle to the direction of the stream of, say, forty-ve degrees I obtain a maximum efficiency, each concave surface forming a balancing and supporting resistance for the other of the same paddle. The rear face of the paddle is comprised of one or more convex plates 19, which approximate the curvature of the front plates and serve to strengthen and support the front plates which constitute the operative face of the paddles.

A perforated diaphragm 20 is placed in the shaft 6, which diaphragm while it permits most of the hot air to pass through the spokes and paddles and be discharged through the tubes l5 yet permits of sufficient hot air or steam reaching the end of the shaft.

Where I mount the series of spokes in different Vertical planes I stagger them, so that the water impinging against the face of the first paddle will be thrown off upon the second paddle, which then diverts the stream in two directions at right angles to the direction of the stream-current. rlhis method of staggeringr is shown in Fig. 6.

Of course the paddles here described and shown may be made solid and no circulation of heating iiuid be availed of in cases where the temperature of the climate does not necessitate any artificial means for heating the paddles to prevent the accumulation of ice, the essential feature being the double concave. converging surfaces of the paddles. It will also be evident that the invention may be applied to a stationary wheel driven by the current and operating a plant or to a paddle-wheel of a vessel for the purpose of propelling the same.

What is claimed as new isl. The combination in a partially-submerged paddle-wheel, of a shaft, a series of spokes carried by said shaft, and a paddle carried by each spoke, said paddle consisting of a concave surface, which is a section of a cylinder having one of its edges turned to the direction of impact.

2. The combination in a partially submerged paddle-wheel, of a shaft, a series of spokes carried by said shaft, and a paddle carried by each spoke, said paddle consisting of a concave surface which is a quarter-section of a cylinder, said surface having one of its edges turned to the direction of impact.

3. The combination in a partially-submerged paddle-wheel, of a shaft, a series of spokes carried by said shaft, and a paddle carried by each spoke, said paddles each consisting of two concave surfaces oppositely arranged, each having an edge meeting to form a wedge which is in the direction of the impact, and each of said concave surfaces heing a quarter-section of a cylinder.

4:. The combination in a paddle-wheel, of a hollow shaft through which a heating mc dium is passed, a series of hollow spokes carried by said shafts and in communication with and adapted to receive said heating medium from said shafts, and a receptacle carried by each spoke and in communication therewith and also adapted to receive said heating medium, said receptacle constituting a paddle and being provided with opposite, concaved impact surfaces.

5. In a paddle-wheel, ashaft provided with a series of tubular spokes, and hollow paddles carried by the spokes, the spokes extending into the paddles and constituting conduits for a heating medium and having outlets in the paddle for the escape of such heating medium.

6. In a paddle-wheel, a shaft provided with a series of tubular spokes,ho1low paddles carried by the spokes, the spokes extending into the paddles and constituting conduits for a heating medium and having outlets in the paddle for the escape of such heating medium, and discharge-pipes leading from the paddles, for the heating medium.

7. In a paddle-wheel, a shaft provided with a series of tubular spokes, hollow paddles carried by the spokes, the spokes extending into the paddles and constituting conduits for a heating medium and havingoutletsin the paddles for the escape of such heating medium, discharge-pipes leading from the paddles for the heating medium, and means for preventing the entrance of water through which the paddle moves,into the outlets of the discharge pipes.

8. In a paddle-wheel, a shaft provided with a series of tubular spokes, hollow paddles carried by the spokes, the spokes serving to conduct a heating medium into the hollow paddles, discharge-pipes for the heating medium, leading from the paddles and connected with the spokes, and'hoods carried by the spokes, covering the outlets of the discharge-pipes and preventing the entrance of the water through which the paddle moves, into said discharge-pipes.

9. In a paddle-wheel, a shaft and a hollow paddle connected with said shaft, means for delivering a heating medium into said paddle, a discharge-conduit for the heating medium from said hollow paddle, and means for preventing the water from obstructing the exit of said discharge-conduit.

10. In a paddle-wheel, a shaft and a hollow paddle connected with said shaft, means for delivering a heating medium into said paddle, a discharge-conduit for the heating medium from said hollow paddle, and a hood surrounding the exit oflthe discharge-conduit IOO IIO

to obstruct the entrance of water into said l the exitof the discharge-pipes against the exit. n v admission of water thel'einto.

11. In a paddle-wheel,ashaft provided with In testimony whereoi` I have signed my asex'ies of tubular spokes, hollow paddles carname to this specification in the presence of 5 l'ed by the spokes, the spokes serving to detwo subscribing witnesses.

liver a heating medium into said hollow padx v v dles, discharge'pipes forl the heating medium VISAIAH L' ROBERTS' connected with and leading from the paddles Witnesses:

'and connected with the respective spokes, ERNEST HOPKINSON, xo and means upon said spokes-for obstructing l K( G. LE. VARD. 

